Powering a Varrox

Would one of these do it?
Sorry for daft question.....all I can remember from school is V=IR and don't stick a screw driver into wall sockets.

Erichalfbee said:

Would one of these do it?
Sorry for daft question.....all I can remember from school is V=IR and don't stick a screw driver into wall sockets.

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Ideal for charging the 12v 10000000Ah battery!

Yeghes da

Its 12v and if it will start a car it will work the Varrox as they have a 12v heater plug in them, my only concern would be how many goes you would get out of it.

I use something similar to this, i only have the one hive but when i have done the hive i put the battery straight on charge to check the battery life and from doing one treatment the battery is still on full charge, i will do a experiment the next time i use it to see how many vape's i can get out of it before the battery is dead.

http://www.hardwarexpress.co.uk/12v...a2S9pxO6aqcy5aPHe3z-DzX8XpJ34T5469BoC0Wfw_wcB

I use a 12v 70aH battery (standard for car) and I've done my 5 hives twice now with no drop in power.

I think I'm going to install a switch on mine so I can leave the croc clips on the battery all the time. Think it'll be easier.


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If the Varrox is rated at 150W, it will draw about 12 1/2 A. Ignore the claimed 'peak 900 Amps', as that is likely only for a couple of seconds or so for getting a car starter motor turning.

They usually (often) use about a 17AH battery similar to those used for smaller mobility scooter thingies.

Better not to discharge the battery too much (say 30%depth of discharge)) so use around 5AH. That equates to about ten x 2 minute sublimations. That would be for a fresh and fully charged battery.

Return battery to full charge as soon as possible after use. Lead acid batteries do no fare too well if left partially charged (fully discharged is even worse!). Those sealed cells (gel or mat types) will not take a particularly high charge rate and will also have a maximum charging voltage of less than 14.4V. Excceding the max charging voltage will soon destroy most of those batteries. The Li*l battery charger seems to be a good match for them.

Depending on the battery size, and quality, one may get rather more sublimations per charge, but again, at the risk of reducing the battery life (generally worked on the number of full discharges, or pro rata for partial discharges.

Lastly, the capacity of the battery will be rated on a certain discharge rate of, say, capacity/5 hour (or capacity/10 hour and sometimes the capacity/20 hour). At over 12A current drain, the useful capacity would be much reduced and needs to be taken into account.

RAB

Its 12v and if it will start a car it will work the Varrox as they have a 12v heater plug in them, my only concern would be how many goes you would get out of it.

My thoughts too, Millet


Thanks RAB
I knew I could rely on you.
It's Stan's Christmas present from one of his daughters so I better not wreck it.
It was just such a nice handy size
I can get the car down to the hives, it's just so wet.
Oh well, frost is coming at last.
I have one hen broody.....She obviously thinks summer is round the corner!

I use one of these for working the dogs at night and i am yet to drain it fully.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWJ8ZPtefzQ

And this one is a 12v 10Ah its faulty but it will do 3 vapes no problem, if weight is a issue they are well worth considering but the only downside is the price.

How about a leisure battery ....

I asked the garage that services my car if he had an old but fairly decent battery that was due for recycling. Cost me nothing. It has just done six hives with no problem, the last one still vaped completely in 3 mins.

linoleum bonypart said:

How about a leisure battery ....

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Leisure batteries will withstand deep cycling but they tend to be upwards of 90AH and as such are very heavy.

I have the smallest 12v car battery I could buy from my local car breaker - all of £10 as I recall. It will do 6 x 3 minute bursts without showing any signs of reducing the time it takes to vapourise, it's only a 40 Amp hour and it's not very big. I then 'found' an old shopping trolley like old folks use ...

Not dissimilar to this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TROLLEY-O...619216?hash=item25b3a36290:g:OFUAAOSwxN5WZ15k

Put a piece of thin plywood on the bottom - couple of straps around the battery and I can wheel it just about anywhere. Total cost .. nothing apart from the battery.

I am thinking of adding a switch in the circuit mounted on the handle so that I don't have to bend down to pull the crocodile clip off the battery ... Did I mention that I'm going to lose weight as my New year's resolution ?

I was looking at generators, I can't find one with a 12v output - anyone use a generator?

domino said:

I was looking at generators, I can't find one with a 12v output - anyone use a generator?

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Plug a 240v car battery charger into the generator..

...............and then a car battery - does not have to be a new one. Cover the top of a wheel barrow with a piece of ply wood, position a few cleats to secure the equipment and you have a very mobile treatment plant!

Those little hand held lithium batteries are the cats' whiskers, Millet.
Pargyle......Did I mention that I'm going to lose weight as my New year's resolution ?
Me too it would make my running easier.....
I've even given up going out tonight, though I might have one or two beers.
4 miles to run tomorrow (did 5 today and will do 10 on Sunday)

Millet said:

I use one of these for working the dogs at night and i am yet to drain it fully. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWJ8ZPtefzQ And this one is a 12v 10Ah its faulty but it will do 3 vapes no problem, if weight is a issue they are well worth considering but the only downside is the price.

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Over £200 seems just a bit OTT. For my home apiary I use a 12v 7AH motorcycle battery that does at least 3 treatments but I then do a quick recharge while I have a cuppa and off I go again.

That's the only downside (the price) but when you are carrying them about for up to 4hrs per night the price is well worth it, that little one in my hand is a 10Ah pack that i made out of two broken ones, they are obviously cheaper than the 22Ah version but the 22Ah one is out of this world, i have started a car with a 10Ah one so i would be able to fire a tank up with the bigger one and i would put money on the 22Ah to treat 10/13 hives easily and the only reason you know you are carrying a battery is through the Varrox lead sticking out your pocket.

Update

Well, I'm really pleased with this.
Weighs 600grams cost about £50.
I just did 5 hives with total heating time of 16.5 minutes and there is still plenty of charge left.

Erichalfbee said:

Well, I'm really pleased with this.
Weighs 600grams cost about £50.
I just did 5 hives with total heating time of 16.5 minutes and there is still plenty of charge left.

Click to expand...

Details?

Pretty Please

Cussword said:

Details?

Pretty Please

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I have just bought a new battery...its small and oblong...the type you use for a solar electric fence energiser. You can get them from Mole Valley Farmers...about £12.... Mine was under £10 from Internet...plus a bit for postage...but it saved me going out to get one. It's very light. The big car battery was getting too heavy for me to move...I usually put it in a wheelbarrow to go from hive to hive but I still have to lift it off the shelf. I have yet to use it this small one.....I want to check the charge first....but not only did OH break my first battery charger....and broke the case of the second battery charger. I bought to replace it....but now has lost it amongst all his tools...or so he says!
Eventually, I will have a battery, sublimator and OA all in the same place and will get the job done. On the up side all the bees look well so far and when looking through the clear cover board I haven't seen any varroa yet.